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Candidemia is caused by healthcare-associated bloodstream infections ranking as a fifth cause especially in the United States as well as in european countries among intensive care units (ICUs). Despite ongoing advances in diagnostics and medical interventions, it remains associated with high mortality rates, along with the prolonged duration of hospitalization and elevated health care costs. the aim of the study is to characterize Candida species and to investigate the antifungal resistance pattern from blood samples in a tertiary Care centre. 53 known Candida isolates from blood samples of various wards and iCUs were collected. All isolates are processed and speciated by the conventional identification method demonstrating its various virulence factors phenotypically and AFSt patterns were studied. in the present study, among 53 Candida isolates, 25 (47.16%) C. tropicalis is a predominant pathogen followed by 11 (20.75%) C. parapsilosis, 9 (16.98%) C. albicans, 4 (7.54%) C. glabrata and 4 (7.54%) C. krusei. Phospholipase activity was observed in 30 (56.60%) isolates, 36 (67.92%) showed hemolysin production. AFSt showed 15 (28.30%) isolates being resistant to Fluconazole and 2 (3.77%) showed resistance to Amphotericin B. the prevalence of candidemia was high, the fatality rate was alarming and non-albicans Candida species were predominant and fluconazole was the least effective drug owing to the high level of resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers the author's insights on her experience as a queer South Asian immigrant in the U.S. and how she works as a queer outsider. Topics discussed by the author include the role of queer outsider as an antidote to the dichotomy of citizenship, the participation of an outsider in a politics of disavowal, and how citizen and noncitizen can disrupt the racial, sexual, and political difference in public discourse and reorient public discourse towards justice.

This research analyses the influence of street network structure on household travel patterns, as measured by activity spaces. The analysis uses street network and travel survey data from the Minneapolis – St. Paul (Twin Cities) and Miami – Ft. Lauderdale (South Florida) metropolitan areas. Various measures of street network structure are used to quantify street network structure. The activity space polygon for each household in the travel survey data set is identified by combining the destinations reached by all household members on the given travel day including the household location. Statistical regression models are then estimated for each study area to test the relationship between street network structure and household activity space. The results show that network structure has a significant influence on household travel patterns, after controlling for other non-network variables such as accessibility to jobs and shops, and car ownership. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In a retrospective cohort study, among 131 773 patients with previous coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), reinfection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) was suspected in 253 patients (0.2%) at 238 US healthcare facilities between 1 June 2020 and 28 February 2021. Women displayed a higher cumulative reinfection risk. Healthcare burden and illness severity were similar between index and reinfection encounters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key points In a multicenter point-prevalence study, we found that the rate of supportive care was high; among those receiving COVID-19 drug therapies, adverse reactions occurred in 12% of patients. Purpose There are currently no FDA-approved medications for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). At the onset of the pandemic, off-label medication use was supported by limited or no clinical data. We sought to characterize experimental COVID-19 therapies and identify safety signals during this period. Methods We conducted a noninterventional, multicenter, point prevalence study of patients hospitalized with suspected/confirmed COVID-19. Clinical and treatment characteristics within a 24-hour window were evaluated in a random sample of up to 30 patients per site. The primary objective was to describe COVID-19–targeted therapies. The secondary objective was to describe adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Results A total of 352 patients treated for COVID-19 at 15 US hospitals From April 18 to May 8, 2020, were included in the study. Most patients were treated at academic medical centers (53.4%) or community hospitals (42.6%). Sixty-seven patients (19%) were receiving drug therapy in addition to supportive care. Drug therapies used included hydroxychloroquine (69%), remdesivir (10%), and interleukin-6 antagonists (9%). Five patients (7.5%) were receiving combination therapy. The rate of use of COVID-19–directed drug therapy was higher in patients with vs patients without a history of asthma (14.9% vs 7%, P = 0.037) and in patients enrolled in clinical trials (26.9% vs 3.2%, P < 0.001). Among those receiving drug therapy, 8 patients (12%) experienced an ADR, and ADRs were recognized at a higher rate in patients enrolled in clinical trials (62.5% vs 22%; odds ratio, 5.9; P = 0.028). Conclusion While we observed high rates of supportive care for patients with COVID-19, we also found that ADRs were common among patients receiving drug therapy, including those enrolled in clinical trials. Comprehensive systems are needed to identify and mitigate ADRs associated with experimental COVID-19 treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]